Chapter 24
Chapter 24: Robbery Arc Part 1
Morgan walked alongside her friends as they chatted animatedly about their school day. Unlike her lessons in shuriken-throwing and ninja history, their classes focused on magic. So cool! she thought, listening eagerly as Corona explained the history of an important mage, a figure from whom Einhard was descended. Unlike her, her friends had what people back in Kohagaure would call civilian classes. No combat instructions or survival training, just pure education. She was jealous but happy that her friends lived in a more peaceful world unlike her.
One day once she became a genin and raised to the rank she would " retire" early and leave her planet secretly to join the TSAB she just wanted to protect people like a hero. Ninjas contrary to popular belief were not heroes who saved princesses. Assassination, blackmail, trailing targets for an ambush, and the list of what shinobie do that are not savory are huge.
"Remember kids, there is no honor amongst us shinobi...", she recalled Hayate-sensei's words from a serious lesson. She groaned mentally
Rio, beaming with excitement, shared that she could control both fire and lightning magic her hands sparkled small fireworks displaying her newfound power:" I was born with both fire and lightning affinity. I hope I can use it in my next martial arts tournament to defeat Vivio she is so strong!" Einhard, who was two years ahead of the others, asked curiously, with her always stoical and serious face: “Can ninjas fly?”
“Well,” Morgan replied, smiling, “a few can, but not exactly like mages. I can fly because I have both a Linker Core and a chakra. Only a handful of Iwagakure ninjas can use anti-gravity jutsu, though. Like the Tuschikage. He’s old and has survived two major shinobi wars; he’s nicknamed the fence-sitter.”
Corona and Einhard mumbled ´I see´´ while Rio and Vivio exclaimed ´WOOW´ as they kept walking in the busy city streets.
As they turned a corner, Vivio pointed at an unassuming, almost ordinary-looking building. "Tada! That’s the entrance to the Infinite Library!" she announced. "It might not look like much, but inside... it’s way larger. Let’s go!"
Stepping through the entrance, Morgan's first impression was that it seemed like a regular library. People walk back and forth, sitting on tables reading. Mublebing and flipping pages. Morgan thought her friends were pulling her legs. Rows of bookshelves lined the floor, nothing particularly unusual. But then, Rio leaned over and whispered excitedly rolled her eyes, “Silly, look up!”
Morgan’s eyes widened as she lifted her gaze. The library was like a tower stretching into an endless sky, with walls covered in countless bookshelves that extended beyond sight. Multiple floors and platforms hung in mid-air, connected by floating staircases. Mages drifted up and down, their magical auras glowing softly as they retrieved books from the highest shelves.
Her inner bookworm stirred to life. This is incredible!
Her friends started to float upward using their magical energy. With a grin, Rio extended her hand towards Morgan, urging her, "Come on! Yuno-san’s office is a bit further up!"
Morgan nodded back with a sparkle in her eyes and took off, flying beside them. "Now I see why it’s called the Infinite Library. It does seem endless!" she marveled, her red hair streaming behind her.
“Not quite infinite,” Corona clarified as she floated beside her. “But it has about one trillion books—and it’s constantly updating itself. It’s like a living library, connected to many planets, galaxies, and dimensions!” Vivio ahead of them was making flips and cartwheels giggling. Books were fun!
“Yeah!” Rio added, flipping mid-air to face Morgan her hair being thrown back. “A lot of people from the TSAB Federation come here to study. It’s the best resource for knowledge EVER!”
“That's true.” Einhard joined in from ahead with a serious smile. “There’s even a digital version of the library. It’s not as vast as the physical one, but the e-library on Incore has around eight billion books!”
Morgan felt like she was swimming through the air. Flying was an essential skill for mages, but it still amazed her every time. She was glad Ellen had taught her, and it seemed she had gotten pretty good at it.
The group continued to ascend, surrounded by the soft glow of magic and the quiet rustle of turning pages. The Infinite Library was truly a marvel, and Morgan couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder. For a ninja like her, who was used to the grounded world of shinobi, this was like stepping into another universe entirely.
"Yuno-san’s office is just up ahead!" Vivio called out, pointing toward a floating platform surrounded by towering bookshelves. The adventure was just beginning, and Morgan couldn’t wait to see what secrets the Infinite Library held.
After laying upward they found a strange indicate shelf series. Landing on a platform Morgan realized that behind the shelf was a huge door label head librarian. Exited, Vivio knocked against the tall door a tired male voice exclaimed:" Is it you Vivio? Oh, come in although there is nothing to do today."
Opening the door they were greeted by Yunoo's exhausted frame. The adult was sprawled between papers and books and wearing his professor/lecture outfit:" Am I giving these lessons at the University in vain? These thesies are just horrible. Hey kids...uh?" He looked up moving his glasses as he noticed e Morgan his hands exclaiming happy. Animated he dashed and picked up Morgan:" YES MY FAVOURITE STUDENT!"
The other kid's sweat dropped. It wasn't a secret that the head librarian liked the ninja in training.
" The paper you did on magic entangled mentioned fortification just based on one tutor lesson. I use it regularly because my students who are adults can't even do half of what you do. A ninjas all so good in retaining information?", he put her down like a proud father.
" Yeah, some missions require you to recall information trivia and quickly. For example, Not that I am a Gennin yet but hypothetically speaking if I was, the Hokage was showing us a scroll with its information for 5 minutes in front of my squad and burn it. The scroll contains a unique and special mission only known to us to avoid any info falling into enemies. Info is power amongst shinobie.", Morgan explained.
" So cool!", Rio and Vivio mumbled.
"That sounds like...in just 5 minutes memorising something you see without being able to retrieve it. Hm. Ninjas operate on a whole different level than us mages it seems!", Einhard spoke up intrigued one hand on her chin shocked.
Yunoo beamed happily:" Well how about I make you some milk or cocoa? Sadly there is nothing I need help with. I appreciate your volunteering to work here. Morgan maybe you can tell me more about your planet as well!."
Vivio giggled:" It's fun it's a nice place after all. I would love to hear more about the planet too Mor-chan!"
" Captain, souvenirs?"; Avalon her sword-shaped intelligent device chimed in.
" Ah, I almost forgot thank you, Ava! Well, I got you all the souvenirs. Even for Nanoha and Ellen but they are not here so..."
As they sat down at a guest table as Yunoo Morgan gave her friends their plushies. She was glad that unlike her they were a bit childish. Even Einhard who was 2 years above in grads huge a tiger happily. Rio raised her dragon plushy and made a play full raw raw sounds. Vivio twirled with her fox plushie in the office.
Morgan smiled her friends seemed to be childish compared to her they were truly kids but as a ninja in training, she couldn't afford too many bratty things.
Blessed with some biscuits, cake, and other confects and a warm drink Yuno's eyes sparkled when she gave him 3 books:" All three contain the various cultures on my planet. From shinobi, daimyos even that of civilians. What tech we have. It was written by Orochimaru-Oji-sama, one of the legendary Sannin and it is very unbiased. Unlike the other books last time...". she raised her hand a magical formula in iridescent light shimmered around the three books ,making them float.
The head librarian took the books that floated toward him, eyes widening:" Oh ho I am excited. "
They exchanged words for so long. It became very dark quickly, the sun was disappearing.
Splitting of Vivio and her ran home a Vivio family lived near Ellen. Inhard lived in a penthouse while Rio and Corona lived further in a rural area and had to go inside a train to drive home. Arriving at the Culdesactt area, Morgan picked up a familiar voice.
Looking ahead she saw Ellen in her brown TSAB military uniform talking seriously to Nanoha wearing her white-blue combat-instructor uniform. Ellen sighed bemoaningly:" - we were called back, the robberies have been escalating...oh Vivio?... Morgan!?"
Morgan dashed and jumped into the short green-haired lady:" Ellen-oka-san."
Shocked at her new honorific she picked her up in her arms:" A surprise visit from a good kid like you? Are my antics rubbing off on you know?"
" Oh no...",Star Gate her device in its passive form chimed in.
" We can't have that!", Raising heart Nanoha’s device blinked shocked.
"We have souvenirs for you two!", Avalon blinked floating beside the group which made Nanoha and Ellen chuckle.
" Then Ellen how about you two join us? Let's go inside and eat together!", Nanoha suggested.
Nanoha accepted her new winter clothes and Ellen her cringy horrible bad movie, Shizune and she would get along well Ellen giggled:" Great Kunochi Mirai? The synopsis...oh it's so bad I can´t wait to watch it!" The adult giggled gleefully as she showed the CD to the DVD player. Yep, she and Shizune-senpai would get along! Shizune would always go on a rant about the recent bad film she saw.
Nanoha sighed:" Thank you so much. Unlike my Yeti-like student on the planet Arkill, I have no fur skin. I won't feel cold teaching the recruits with this..."Vivio hugged her fox plush. She wondered if she could get Morgan something someday. Looking at her ninja-in-training friend she wondered if she could be as cool as her.
Morgan sighed as she waited for tomorrow,